Coal-mining machine.



170.827,746. i PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906. s. N. MIGHELL GOAL MINING MACHINE. APPLICATION PIL'BD SEPT. ze, 1905.

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PATENTED' AUG. 7

S. N. MIGHELL.

GOAL MINING MACHINE.

APPLIUATIQN FILED SEPT. ze, 1905.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Applicatioilied september 26, 1905. serial No. 280,170.

To all whom, it Wan/,y concern,.-

Beit known that I, SEWARD N. MIGLHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Coal-Mining Machines, of which'the following is a specification.

The principal object of this invention is to provide av simple, economical, and efficient coal -cutting lmachine for use in connection with coal-mining.

Other objects of the invention will appear from an examination of the Idrawings and the following description and claims.

It consists, further and inally, in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In thevaccompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a portion of a cutting-frame and cutter-head provided with my improvements Fig. 2, a similar view of the parts shown in Fig. l, with the top plate of the cutter-head removed and showing the rollerguiding slot or race andthe manner of mounting the rollers in operative engagement with the chain Fig. 3, a detail plan view of the roller-retainer; Fig. it, an enlarged cross-sectional elevation of the cutter-chain and cutter-head, showing the roller-retainer,l and Fig. 5, a plan view of the "long-wall type of mining-machine provided with my improvements.

In the art to which this invention relates it is very desirable to provide a cutter-head or cutting-frame with suitable means for reducing the friction of the cutter-bit-carrying chain mechanism. It is also very desirable to provide simple and eflicient means for minimizing the side and end thrust upon the cutting-frame and by reducing such friction and side thrust to enable a frame of the minimum weight and thickness to be used, whereby a narrow cut will provide a suiiicient clearance both above and below the cuttingframe to permit its successful operation.

y .In order to accomplish these objects and other objects which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, I provide a cuttingframe,` formed of side members a, having a cutter-head t, provided with a top plate c and a roller-retainer d and a bottom plate Z. Mounted in this frame is the cutter-chain or cutter-'bit-carrying chain'formed ofl bit-carceiving a cutterQ-bit. Upwardly andi'downwardly extending guiding-lugs 't andy', preferably integral with the socket or chuck members of the chain extend into sliding engagement 'with theretaining-shoulder portionsl 7c of the lower plate Z of the cutter-head and with the retaining-shoulder portions m of the top plate of the cutter-head, respectively.

The roller-retainer d. is provided with an endless tortuous slot or race n in 'both its upper and lower sides. These slots extend in endless loop form, one la being adjacent to the portion of the cutter-c ain which supports the cutting-bits in cutting engagement with the coal and the other lap extending across from one: lap of the chain to thel other between the driving-sprocket and the portion of the chain which supports the operating or coal-engaging cutter-bits. A series of movable antifriction-rollers o are mounted independently of the cutter supporting or carrying chain in such upper and lower slots, respectively, of the roller-retainer, the upper rollers being provided with guiding-trunnions p, which are mounted in the guiding slot or race in the upper side of the retainer, and the lower series ofrollers being provided with similar trunnions g, which are mounted 4in the lower socket portion of the retainerQThe rollers on both sides of the'retainer are thus all movable into engagement with the cuttercarrying chain and adapted to be driven thereby. They are also allv movable out of engagement with the chain and are guided entirely independently of the chain by the roller-retainer from the point where they cease to actively engage the chain back to the point where their operative engagement with the chain begins.

The socket members and connectinglinks of the chain are all flat at the back sides thereof, so that the back of the entire chain is substantially fiat or uniform throughout, except where it is uniformly curved around the corners of the cutting-frame. The back of the chain engages the antifriction-rollers, so as to move therewith, while the cutting-bits supported by theroller-engaging portion are in cutting engagement with the coal lto be oper- IOO IOS

ated upon. l In other words, ythe substanting portion thereof, yand the rollers behind tially flat-backed chain is backed up'or supported by the rollers throughout that portion which carries the cutting-bits while in active cutting engagement with the coal, and sprocket wheels or pulleys for this purpose are dispensed with,

This arrangement of the antifriction-roller mechanism enables the chain-driving mechanism to be mounted in operative engagement with the chain between the rollers and chain in the type ofcutti-'ng-frame shown in l Figs. l and2 and also 1n the type of machine shown in Fig. 5.

By the above arrangeme so supported the chain as to reduce the friction accompanying the operation of they chain toa minimum and also minimize the` side thrust due to the friction which must additional power in machines of ordinary construction. It will also be noted that the series of antifriction-rollers in the return portion of the guiding-slot are guided from the position where the chain leaves cutting engagement with the coal back to theposition t the rollers are t where the cutting engagement begins, soas to provide a space r, as shown in Fig. 5, between such return series of rollers and the driving sprocket wheel s not only in the type of machine shown in Fig. 5, but also in the typeof machine or cutting-frame illustrated in Figs. l and 2. In Fig. 5 the cutting-frame is of that type which is adapted to cut on opposite sides of the machine, as circumstances may require, the cutter being provided with cutter-bits t, adapted to be reversed as the position of the cutting-frame is reversed from one side of the machine to the other. In Fig. 5 the lap of the cutting-chain at the right of the cutting-frame is in position to perform the cutting operation, the cuttingframe being mounted in a suitable carriage u, having supporting-wheels lv, mounted upon tracks w. The antifriction-rollers shown in this figure are identical with those shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the roller-retainer being modified only in form or proportions to conform to the type of machine in connection withwhich it is shown. The rollers at the right-hand side of the cutting-frame therefore engage the cutting-lap of the chain when the machine is in use with the cutting-frame on the side of the machine shown in said figure.

It will be readily understood that when the position of the cutting-frame is reversed and the cutting-bits reversed the idle lap of the chain, as shown in Fig. 5, will become the cutalso the relatively thick and heavy cutting-frame and wide cut which back of the cutting portion of be overcome by `a position where the cutting-bits supported thereby are no longer in cutting position.

I claim- 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting-frame portion, a cutter-head, a cutter-chain movably mounted thereon, said cutter-head being provided with a single endless tortuous raceway having one lap adjacent the portion of the cutterchain which supports the cutting-bits in cutting engagement with the material operated on, and a series of movable' antifriction-rollers in the raceway mounted adjacent to and in contact with the cutter-chain, said rollers being independent of the chain and of each other and forming a backing for the cutterchain throughout the effective or cutting length of the chain.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, a cutter-chain provided with socket portions having openings for receiving cutting-bits, a series of movable antifriction-rollers mounted adjacent to the chain and in contact therewith throughout its entire' effective or cutting length, said rollers being independent of the chain and of each other and a roller-retainer mounted in such frame provided with anendless rollerguiding slot in which said antifriction-rollers are mounted.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, a cutter-chain provided with socket portions having openings for receiving cutting-bits, a series of movable antifriction-rollers mounted adjacent to the chain and in contact therewith throughout its entire effective or cutting length, said rollers being independent of the chain and of each other and a roller-retainer mounted in such frame provided with an endless rollerguiding s lot in which the antifriction-rollers are mounted, the slot and a portion of the rollers mounted therein extending away from the chain throughout aportion of its length forming a space for receiving a chain-driving mechanism. l

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, a cutter-tool-supporting chain provided with projecting socket portions, a series of antifriction-rollers movably mounted in contact with the inner side of the tool-supporting chain opposite the projecting socket portions thereof, said rollers being independent of the chain and of IOO IIO

each other and in eontat with the Chain I ports the tools in Cutting engagement with throughout itsentire effective or cutting pol; l the coal to be operated upon. tion, and a ro er-retainer mounted in suc frame provided With endless roller-guiding SEWARD N' MIGHELL 5 slots on the upper and lower sides thereof Witnesses:

adapted to hold the antifrieton-rollers in con- HARRY I. CROMER, tact with the portion of the chain which supl J ENNIE A. MACEDWARD 

